I've finished another song, and I've decided to move my music over to http://vanessamonahan-rial.bandcamp.com/ after getting frustrated with Facebook applications ( Read more... )

I've been reading a lot of discussion recently on feminist blogs regarding this song/video by Eminem and Rihanna (warning: triggering depictions of domestic violence):

Click to view

Below is my response to the song and video; I'd love to hear others' thoughts ( Read more... )

So. I've had an exciting vacation, to say the least. I'm currently in Eugene (Oregon) with Ben, visiting my grandparents. Yesterday we were driving out to see the coast and got into a pretty serious accident. I was sleeping in the back seat until about a second before the crash, at which point I heard my grandpa yelling and saw the car across the ( Read more... )

For those of you who don't read my Facebook posts, I have completed my first recording and posted it on my newly-created Facebook musician page. You can listen to it here. One day I'll have a "real" Web site, but until then, Facebook will do. At least it's better than Myspace ( Read more... )

I saw this quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson on my friends list today, and I wanted to note it here ( Read more... )

I just finished the Kushiel's Legacy series by Jacqueline Carey, and I'm feeling the need to tell the world how wonderful these books are. It's a 6-book fantasy series that is actually two trilogies. Each trilogy is told from the perspective of a different character in the same world ( Read more... )

I'm excited about Pride this weekend. I haven't been to Pride in way too many years, and I'd like to check out some of it this year. I'm thinking of perhaps going to the Dyke March on Saturday night and joining the Bisexual Organizing Project in the big parade on Sunday. We shall see how much energy I have, though. Is anyone else going to Pride ( Read more... )

Ben is planning to start a tabletop role-playing campaign soon, and we would ideally like to have 1-2 more players. Any Mpls/St. Paul people interested? You don't have to have prior experience (this will be my first time), though of course experience is helpful. It will be a modern/near-future setting with a strong emphasis on storytelling using ( Read more... )

Today was a much needed recovery day after last night's w00tstock. If you are unfamiliar with w00tstock, it is a newish traveling geek fest hosted by Paul and Storm, Adam Savage, and Wil Wheaton with various special guests appearing at the different locations. They claimed that it would be a 3-hour show, but it lasted 5 hours! So the show started ( Read more... )

Wow, recording music is hard work! It's cool to play around with stuff and get to hear myself play and sing in harmony, but it also can be very frustrating. Recording brings out my inner perfectionist, but I'm also very much a novice and unfamiliar with the process and techniques. So I feel that I need to get it right, but I don't know how to make ( Read more... )